As you probably already know, diesel engines get better fuel economy than gas, simply because they don't need to burn as much fuel as gasoline engines to get the same amount of power. Diesel engines are built heavier than gas engines, to help sustain the added stress of the much higher compression ratios.

Diesel engines don't have an ignition system either, so you'll never have to tune them up. The exhaust systems will last longer as well, as the exhaust on a diesel isn't as corrosive as an exhaust on a gasoline engine.

There are very few engine configurations that promise increased fuel economy and power. There are few engines that offer this in addition to reliability. Today, those across the ocean are enjoying the fruits of diesel technology revolution.

Diesels have experienced a great history here in the United States. In 1980, General Motors modified their 350ci gas V8 to run on diesel fuel. The result however, wasn't that god. These engines offered better fuel economy but little else. They were very slow, and not very reliable.

As you may already be aware of, diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines of the same power, resulting in much lower fuel usage. For an efficient turbo diesel, the average is 40% more miles per gallon. The higher compression ratio with diesel engines help to raise efficiency, but diesel fuel also contains around 15% more energy per unit volume than gas.

These days, gasoline prices may be crimping your your household budget. You may like to reduce the U.S. dollars that flow to the Middle East for oil, or perhaps you are motivated by your concern for the environment, or even the nagging reality that oil is a depleting resource that shouldn't be wasted.

Fuel economy

To put it into prospective, the fuel economy are the numbers posted on the window sticker of a new vehicle. Studies have shown that the average driver only receives 75 percent or so of the mileage figures that are on the sticker.

If you plan to use your truck like a car, desiring quick, quiet acceleration and rarely ever haul a heavy load and don't plan to it for a long time, you may want a gasoline engine. Gas engines run smoother, fuel is easier to find, and gas engines start easier in cold weather.

If you plan to use your truck for towing, value good fuel economy and plan to put plenty of miles on it, you may want a diesel. The price to buy a diesel truck is really high, although they can offer you a lot in return.

A diesel engine will go much farther on a gallon of fuel that the standard gasoline engine because of their designs, and due to the higher energy density of a gallon of diesel fuel. But, it also takes a bit more oil to manufacture a gallon of diesel than a gallon of gas, with the production and refining processes for diesel producing more gases that trap heat.

Therefore, when you consider the relative merits of deisel and gas cars, try knocking the MPG estimates for the diesel car down by 20 percent. A diesel vehicle will cost you a bit more, so you'll get more bang for your buck from a gasoline vehicle.

The designs of diesel engines striving to increase performance have made a lot of advancements in engine fuel delivery to the combustion chamber. The diesel engines of today are much quieter, smoother, and also more powerful. The quality of diesel fuel on the other hand has not advanced at the same rate as the improvements of engines.

As soon as it is produced, diesel fuel begins to deteriorate. Less than 30 days of refining, all diesel fuel, regardless of the brand, goes through a natural process called oxidation. This process forms varnishes and gums in the fuel by causing the molecules of the fuel to lengthen and start bonding together.

As you may know, diesel engines aren't something you should take lightly. There are good reasons why the rush to put them in cars back in the 70s flopped. Diesel isn't the ideal power source for all applications.

Engine speed

Diesel engines gained the reputation for long service life early on in the history of the engines, mainly from engines that were used in commercial operations. These were big, very slow to turn engines that were usually in the 600 – 1,000 RPM range.

With gasoline getting more and more expensive, you've probably found yourself wondering what you can do. Even with the rising costs of gas and fuel, you still need it to go places. No matter how you look at it, you are at the mercy of these prices.

If you own two credit cards, changes are that you will use one of them to pay for your gas. Gas credit cards are now starting to shine. There are many individuals who are planning to apply for a gas card. Most cards are either issued by a leading credit card company or by a major retailing gas station.

Cost

Due to the high compression ratios and resulting high cylinder pressure in diesel engines, they must be built to withstand a lot more punishment than gas engines. The parts that are spruced up include a thicker block and cylinder heads, pistons, crankshaft, and valves, which can be very costly indeed.

When it comes to the price, gas wins this one by far. Diesel costs a lot more to own than gas, which is one of the main reasons why people tend to choose gas over diesel.

Fuel cost